Friday Curriculum #2: Pythagorean Theorem Lab

Happy Friday. This Friday I am presenting a Math Lab that I have used in the past. A Math Lab is similar to how a Science Lab, it provides an open ended opportunity to see how math works beyond pencil and paper. Here are the student facing materials below.

Grades: 7th - 9th

Time: 20 to 30 minutes

Each triangles side length would have a measurement that you would decide prior to the lab. To make it more involved, add in some Pythagorean Triples and some sides that are not whole numbers.

Students may begin to think that they have done the math wrong because they have to estimate. This is a good time to talk about how estimation works in real life, and a conversation about measurement error.

Look out for next Friday’s Curriculum post, and let me know suggestions if you have any.